Research project for younger students K-2 might involve each student or group of students answering one question and creating one slide with a picture and caption. Older students might complete an entire project individually or as a group.
Turn completed PowerPoint presentations into a Photo Story to add spice and creativity.
Projects might include each student creating a presentation on how to do something such as riding a horse or sharing information on a topic they already are experts on such as cats.
Use PowerPoint to create a photo album. Open PowerPoint. Choose Insert>Picture>New Photo Album. Choose pictures to include in the album.
By changing the album layout from fit to slide, you are able to choose to add a "short" caption below photo. This is great for kids writing one word.
To add a larger text box for each picture, you will need to insert a text box after each photo. From the Format Photo Album screen, click on the first picture in the list and click the button "New Text Box." The words "Text Box" will appear under the first picture in the list. Continue until a text box has been created for each picture. Then under Album Layout - Picture Layout, choose either 2 or 4 pictures. This will create a slideshow with a title slide and each page will be created with either one picture and caption space if you chose "2" or two pictures and caption space if you chose "4."
Use PowerPoint to add pictures to a slide show. Print as handouts for students to write (by hand) captions.
Use PowerPoint and choose View>Notes Page. This allows you to have a picture at the top of the page and a large area below for a caption.
Printing options make using PowerPoint a plus over Word for these tasks.
Nonfiction Authors
Use EBSCO Host to see the difference text features make in reading nonfiction.
Search for a magazine article that contains both an html (text only copy) and pdf version (scanned image) of the file. This will take some time to locate the perfect example for students Have students read the html file and comment on the article. Then show them the pdf file. Compare the two.
Stepping it up from Captive Captions.
Choose a research project and create a book using nonfiction features.
First and second grade can create pages.
Third and fourth grade can create chapters.
Fifth and sixth grade can create entire books.
Publishing
Create a book in Word. Go to File>Page Setup. On the Margins tab and by the Multiple Pages menu, choose Book Fold. Click Ok. You will then see a smaller page on the screen. This is the first page of the book. When a new page is added, it will be appear to the right of the first.
Create a PowerPoint, PhotoStory, etc. of nonfiction features.
Project Cube
Incorporate the math concept of net by having kids create a net for a cube in PowerPoint.
Have kids create their net on paper before hand. Make sure your ruler is available, click View>Ruler. Start with a blank slide and create 2" x 2" squares to create a net for a cube. Use information gathered to create the side for the cube. Nonfiction features such as various font features, pictures, labels, captions can be featured. You will need to create a text box for adding text. When the cube is finished. Print it out. Before cutting don't forget to sketch in tabs for gluing the cube together. Use fishing line to hang cubes on display.
A scavenger hunt can be created using a website, web page, an article on EBSCO Host, or even a magazine such as Kid's Discover. The purpose of these hunts is to help kis learn to navigate websites and other nonfiction by using text features. Cyberhunt Kid's Library
Create a chart containing a list of questions for students to answer using text features of the resource you choose.
Trialfire is a free toolbar that can be added to your browser. It enables you to create "marks" which are similar to post-it notes on web pages. Several web pages can be linked together as a "trail."
Use trailfire to create trails for kids with notes or questions about web page features and navigation. Kids will be able to comment on the "mark" if you want them to.
This can be a great tool educators, but be cautious.
IMPORTANT: Be sure you create a "private" trail for students. You do not what others to write comments to marks created for students only.
IMPORTANT: Do not send your kids to the trailfire website to follow trails you have not previewed.
Conover, Patricia Ross. "Technology Projects for Library Media Specialists and Teachers." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Baumbach, Donna J. "Less is More: A Practical Guide to Weeding School Library Collections." American Library Association. 2006.
Buzzeo, Toni. "Collaborating to Meet Literacy Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for Grades K-2." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Groeneweg, Nicole. "Unwrapping a Book: Using Nonfiction to Teach Writing in the Primary Classroom." Huntington Beach, CA: Creative Teaching Press, 2006.
Harvey, Stephanie. "Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in Grades 3-8." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 1998.
Harvey, Stephanie and Goudvis, Anne. "Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2007.
Loertscher, David V. "Taxonomies of the School Library Media Program." San Jose, California; Hi Willow Research & Publishing, 2000.
MacDonell, Colleen. "Project-Based Inquiry Units for Young Children: First Steps to Research for Grades Pre-K-2." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Miller, Debbie. "Reading With Meaning: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2002.
Suggested Periodicals Library Sparks is an excellent publication with many activities for K-6 students plus web resources.
Suggested Web Sites Big6 - Teaching Information and Technology Skills Deb Four Blocks - Determining Importance in Nonfiction Sunlink Weed of the Month - Practical information for weeding collections and a great archive of intersting finds while weeding. Trailfire - Make trails and add comments to web pages Edublogs - Site for creating your own free educational blog ALA's Great Web Sites for Kids
Using Nonfiction Text for Teacher/Librarian Collaboration
Presentation Date: July 17, 2007, NAESC Computer Lab
Collaboration Ideas
Lively Labels
Captive Captions
Nonfiction Authors
Scavenger Hunt
Cyberhunt Kid's Library
Create a Trail
Additional Ideas
Suggested Professional Book Titles
Conover, Patricia Ross. "Technology Projects for Library Media Specialists and Teachers." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Baumbach, Donna J. "Less is More: A Practical Guide to Weeding School Library Collections." American Library Association. 2006.
Buzzeo, Toni. "Collaborating to Meet Literacy Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for Grades K-2." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Groeneweg, Nicole. "Unwrapping a Book: Using Nonfiction to Teach Writing in the Primary Classroom." Huntington Beach, CA: Creative Teaching Press, 2006.
Harvey, Stephanie. "Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in Grades 3-8." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 1998.
Harvey, Stephanie and Goudvis, Anne. "Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2007.
Loertscher, David V. "Taxonomies of the School Library Media Program." San Jose, California; Hi Willow Research & Publishing, 2000.
MacDonell, Colleen. "Project-Based Inquiry Units for Young Children: First Steps to Research for Grades Pre-K-2." Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing, 2007.
Miller, Debbie. "Reading With Meaning: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades." Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2002.
Suggested Periodicals
Library Sparks is an excellent publication with many activities for K-6 students plus web resources.
Suggested DVDs
"Anaylzing Nonfiction." Schlessinger Media, 2007. Grades 5-9.
"Reading Fiction and Nonfiction." Schlessinger Media, 2004. Grades K-4.
"Using the Internet." Schlessinger Media, 2003. Grades 2-6.
Frameworks/Standards
New ISTE NETS-S
Arkansas Language Arts Frameworks
Current AASL Information Literacy Standards
Suggested Web Sites
Big6 - Teaching Information and Technology Skills
Deb Four Blocks - Determining Importance in Nonfiction
Sunlink Weed of the Month - Practical information for weeding collections and a great archive of intersting finds while weeding.
Trailfire - Make trails and add comments to web pages
Edublogs - Site for creating your own free educational blog
ALA's Great Web Sites for Kids
Suggested Student Periodicals
Time for Kids
Cobblestone Publishing
Kids Discover
Zoo Books
National Wildlife Federation
Lesson Plan Ideas for Collaboration
5-Day Unit Plan for Introducing Nonfiction - Scholastic
Finding Nonfiction Features - Scholastic
Kindergarten Nonfiction Lesson
Read, Write, Think Lesson Plans contains many nonfiction lessons at various levels.
Collaboration Planning Form Samples
Sample 1
Sample 2
Online Nonfiction Book Publishers
Capstone Press
Heinemann Library
Abdo Publishing
Child's World
Rosen Publishing
World Almanac Education